Operation
cont'd:
In terms of comfort the Solarflex shirt feels both
lightweight and very flexible, never bunching up or
wrinkling. It also packs down relatively compact and can be
deployed quickly. During tests I didn’t wear sunblock under
the shirt sleeves and the garment provided very good
protection, and though it is rated at UPF30 so we still
recommend a light coat of sunblock in really sunny
conditions, especially if you burn easily like I do. The Solarflex features a flat seam construction
so even when casting all day the seams are never noticeable
and the shirt is definitely more comfortable than most
traditional button up garments as it seems to better contour
to the body.

...but for
extremely bright conditions a Buff or Simms Sungaiter is a
good addition for extra sun protection

The long sleeves on the Solarflex shirt provide plenty of
freedom of movement during casting and retrieving and unlike
many other garments the sleeves don’t ride up unnecessarily,
but can be comfortably pulled up to the biceps if required,
when dipping your hands to release fish for example. The
stretch-knit polyester fabric on the shirt and cuffs do a
good job staying in place wherever you position the sleeves,
reducing friction with the garment and aiding in overall
comfort.

When checking
email a Simms Sungaiter
provides extra neck protection because the
Solarflex's collar doesn't extend all the way up like many
traditional button up shirts

During our days on Clear Lake we experienced some
surprisingly bright days and warm weather, and while the
bluebird skies hurt the bite it did provide ideal conditions
for testing the Solarflex shirt. I found that the
COR3™
material able to wick away moisture efficiently and it also
breathes very well overall. The collar on the shirt is
slightly higher than most garments but not as high as more
traditional button up shirts. While the collar provides some
extra sun protection it still required me to put on multiple
sunblock applications and on really bright days where there
is plenty of reflection off the surface I still prefer to
wear a Buff or one of the new Simms Sungaiters for
additional coverage. These garments provide more protection
than sunblock even if the ratings are based on the same
Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) ranking. Have you ever
noticed how you can still get burned when wearing lower UPF
sunblocks like UPF 30 but don't get burned when wearing
protective clothing with the same or even lower ratings? For
starters, sunblock can be rubbed or washed off and lose
effectiveness but in addition to this Simms explains that
the same UPF in clothing provides significantly more
protection than similarly rated sunscreen, it is like
comparing apples and oranges. Simms garments like the
Solarflex shirt are also now approved by the Skin Cancer
foundation and new hang tags will soon accompany all these
garments.

During tests
some of the threads started getting pulled...

Though seemingly quite straightforward one of the things
that Simms does so well on their garments is the attention
to detail, examples include the slightly elongated collar
design on this shirt as well as the inner label which is not
printed on a traditional tag, instead all information is
screened directly on the shirt so there is nothing to
scratch your skin at all.

Durability:
The Solarflex’s stretch-knit polyester fabric is quite
durable and will stretch before it even has a chance of
tearing. During tests I got plenty of the notorious Clear
Lake algae on the light colored Ash Grey shirt but it washed
out easily with normal detergent and a single cycle. The one
area we started noticing some damage was on the sleeves
where we observed some of the threading was coming loose as
a result of contact with abrasive surfaces, nothing major
but certainly perceptible. Over the long term unless you’re
doing some serious hiking in the backcountry the shirt
should hold up well.

The Solarflex
shirt wicks moisture and dries quickly when wet

Price & Applications:
The Solarflex is available in sizes from small to XXL and as
expected the shirt comes with a retail price that is higher
than your average shirt, but when compared with other
technical shirts is actually inline. At $39.95 the Solarflex
shirt is an investment, but one that will easily last a few
seasons. This shirt is great for bass fishing on sunny warm
days, but on cooler days it doesn’t offer a whole lot of
warmth, you will definitely need to layer up with a fleece
especially if you need wind protection. The garment is so
good for warm days it is an excellent choice for warm water
inshore fishing and will make an excellent flat fishing
shirt, just make sure to bring that Sungaiter. For extreme
conditions extra sunblock is necessary, and a second button
up shirt can even be worn on top. The fact that it also
packs own very small and is lightweight also makes this a
great choice for those trips to exotic fishing destinations,
Amazon anyone?

Ratings:

Simms
Solarflex
Long
Sleeve
Shirt
Ratings
(?/10)

Construction/Quality

Excellent
overall
construction
the one
gripe is
the
application
of the
reflective
label on
the
front.
The
stitching
on the
garment
is
excellent
and the
weaved
material
gives
this
shirt a
very
unique
look,
this is
not just
a long
sleeve
t-shirt,
its
highly
technical

8.5

Performance

Very
comfortable
to fish
in all
ay long,
definitely
best
suited
for warm
weather
and you
will
want to
look at
Simms'
other
products
if you
primarily
fish in
cooler
conditions.
While
the UPF
30
rating
is good
there
are
traditional
button
up
shirts
that
offer
UPF 50

9

Price

While 40
dollars
may seem
like a
lot for
a long
sleeve
shirt
this
garment
is worth
the
money
and
delivers
on all
performance
levels

7.5

Features

The Cor3
material
does a
good job
wicking
away
moisture
and
providing
odor
resistance
it also
is
comfortable
and
packs
down
neatly

8.5

Design
(Ergonomics)

One of
the more
comfortable
fishing
shirts
that I
have
worn,
the high
collar
is a
plus and
the
sleeves
do a
great
job
staying
in place

9

Application

Great
for
fishing
in warm
weather
and
wills
serve
fly
fishermen,
bass
anglers,
and
flats
fishermen
well,
just
don't
expect a
lot of
cold or
wind
protection

Another quality garment from
Simms, the Solarflex shirt is very comfortable and provides sun protection on
those warm bright days on the water

Conclusion:
With Simms clothing I’ve grown to expect performance, quality, and reliability,
and the Solarflex shirt did not disappoint. This shirt is comfortable and easy
to fish in all day long when the sun is out, and I especially like the way the
shirt’s sleeves accommodate the full range of movements, like overhand and side
casts, without riding up unnecessarily. Sun protection is essential when you’re
out on the water constantly but it doesn’t have to mean wearing collared button
up shirts day-in-day-out. The Simms Solarflex shirt provides a quality
alternative, and the simple yet highly functional design is what makes this
particular UPF 30+ shirt so attractive.